Automatic continuator



Y Patented Cet. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE t. AUTOMATIC coN'rmUA'ron Edwin Hopkins, New York, N. Y. Application June 2 5, 1929, Serial No. 373,569 '5 claims. (01.2'14-101 The chief purpose of my invention is to provide means for playing a plurality of disc phonograph records successively in such manner-that when one is nished the playing of the next is begun 5 automatically without delay, in order that the sounds of the successive records will keep in synchronism with a motion picture film of analogous subjectmatter projected at the ,same time at a predetermined rate of speed as respects the phonvograph records.

considerably greater length in playing time than disc phonograph records, but I provide successive records and means for transferring from one to the next without losing synchronous relation with the film. which has not hitherto been done.

In my invention I provide a plurality of disc turntables preferably positioned one above the other, with a separate tone arm for each table, and means for automatically lowering such tone arms successively into playing position one after the other at the proper time, and also means for lifting them off at the proper time.

I provide a counting device for each turntable, so arranged that after a predetermined number of revolutions have been made by the turntable, the counting devicesets into operation a train of members which has a cycle of operations automatically depositing thetone arm on the new record, and lifting oir of the played record its tone arm, and at the same time setting the new records counting device going.

As most disc records run less than 1,000 convolutions I arrange the counting device to funcv tion at 000, or n the next count after 999, a fourth dial for the l being needless. If a record has 724 convolutions I set the counter at 276 as the initial point for the first rotation of the record. when the 724 tu'rns of the record are made, starting on the counter after 276, the total will 4be 1,000, since the iirstturn of thel record registered 277 on the counter and the last 000.

276 may be termed the pre-count number. This I note on the record itself for the guidance of operators as the counter is manually set to the pre-/couht number before playing begins.y Thus the smaller the record the larger will be the precount number. Records of diilerent sizes may'be playe'd, `succeeding each other. This is. useful where eliminations are made from a film, as in a re-take of an abbreviated portion a smaller record may be made. i

Portions may also be omitted from a record; as, for'exampla if the precount number of the 724 convolution. record is set at 376 instead of 276,

FilmsA of motion -pictures are customarily lof the tone arm' win be lifted off 10o turns before the normal end of the record and the next record `will be begun. Suitable lengths of motion picture film may be cut out to shorten the film the same running time as the 100 turns omitted from the record. V-

The apparatus is so arranged that it may be loaded with disc records before starting, all the countersbeing set, each to the pre-count number of its record.` The number of rotations `from 10 the beginning of the, first to the end of the last will thus be known in advance, and started at -an initial point with the lm of the same running time, synchronism will be maintained throughout.

As many turntables and tonearms may be pro- 15 vided as desired. Ten turntables playing 4% minute records would suiiice for minutes of performance, as long as an vact of a play. My apparatus, however, is provided with lmeans for enabling records to be removed and replaced dur- 20,

ing operation of another record, and thus it may be run continuously for many hours, one apparatus being adapted to'serve two cinematographs alternately if desired. The operatorv removes a record, positions a new one and re-sets the counter 25 and adjusts the parts so that the new Arecord is apparatus, processes and. manufactures, but it is to be understood that'in carrying out the objects of'my invention, less than all of the different means, mechanisms, processes and manufactures 40 herein described may be employed for some uses, 'or parts only may be employed, or other mechanisms, processes and manufactures similar may be substituted, and while the preferred forms embodying` my invention are shown, it is to be understood that many of the structural details may be varied and many changa; in details and steps resorted to, without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention, nor do I limit myself to the specific devices, -manufactures and processes shown, although I believe them especially suited to the ends to be attained` b'y my invention. In the-- accompanying drawings,- which are largely diagrammatical and are' not to be consideredas working drawings but merely as illus- .planes of section being taken approximately only,

table; and

for the purpose of clearness of illustration of principles; and which form a part hereof, and in which the same reference letters and numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3- is a plan of a turntable portion;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of a portion of the ap paratus, on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional plan of a the apparatus, taken on line 5-'5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a portion of the.

apparatus;

Fig. '7 is a cross ectional plan of the counting device, taken on 1in 1-1 of Fig. 9;

portion of.

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional, front elevation of the counting device on line 8-9 of Fig. 9; and

`liig. 9 is a vertical, transversel side elevation section of the counting device on line 9-9 of F18. 8.

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 show some of the connecting parts of the counting device to the rest of the apparatus, and are on a larger scale than the remainder of the drawings.

The various viewsshow certain parts omitted,

and o ther parts included forward ofthe sectional -lines,` for clearness of illustration.

Turntables I', 2, 3 and 4 are driven through mitre gears by vertical shaft 5, and their rotation is counted by counting devices 6, 1 and 8, turntables I and 2 functioning in unison simultane- -'ously and being counted by counting device 6.

Turntable I is a supplementary table to turntable 2, both playing or remaining idle in unison'. Thus an overture orchestral piece may be recorded onrecord for turntable I, while vocal effects may appear ,on record for turntable 2, either simultaneously or intekrlarded. Theapparatus may be so constructed as to provide one or a plurality of supplementary tiu'ntables for each counted turntable. These supplementary turntables may contain special sound effects notv suitable forrecording in a speech record.

The cycle of operations which takes place be- -tween record' and record includes ten, principal functions:

a. The starting of the turntable with the record on it;

b. The depositing of the tone arm needle on therecord;

c. The starting of the counting of rotations; d.' Thestarting of the next lower turntable; e. Theilnal co'unt of the rotation counting; f. The'depositing on the next lower record of the tone arm needle therefor;

y. The starting of the rotation count therefor; h. 'Ihe lifting olf the turntable record just played of its tone arm; i. II 'he disengaging of power from such turni. The disengagingof the counting device thereof. i

Upright pillar or frame 9 serves to' carry-the chief operative parts of the apparatus. Tonearm lifting-levers I0, II, I2 and I3 lift and lower `the tone' arms' for the turntables I, 2, 3, 4.A Lifting levers III, II,- I2, I3 are pivoted to frame 9 at itsrear edge. "I'hey are held aloft by pivoted stops, which are ordinarily operated automatically, but which may be manually caused to function; In the' attitudeA or moment'of the cycle of op with records and all the tone arms are held aloft spectively. Stops I8 andl I9l operate in unison and control levers Illand II.

by the lifting levers IIl, II, I2, I3 so that while the turntables maybe starting to rotate in unison. through power from shaft 5, no sound is being heard and no counting of rotations has begun.

Lifting levers I0, II, I2, I3 have heels I4, I5, I6 and I I respectively, which are held in nonplaying position by pivoted stops I3, I 9, 20, 2I re- They may be .manually operated in opposition to spring 22.

This permits tone arms fo'r turntables I and 2 to Jbe lowered intoplaying position.

Heels I5, I9, I'I have extension bars 2 3, 24, 25, l5 which bars have pendant bars 26,' 21, 23, whose function is to throw clutch levers 29, 30, 3| intov yand out of operation, for the purpose of counting the rotations of the turntables by counting devices 6, I and 3. 20

Thus, for example, when stop I9 is thrown out of the wat1 of heel.x I5, which ascends, bar 26 simultaneously throws clutch lever 29, which' starts counterB by means to be described.

Records of turntables I and 2 being played in 25 unison and rotations of turntable 2 being counted by counter 6 the operator attends the critical spring cranks, 32, 33, 34, which operate automatically in one direction .but have to be replaced manually 'in the other after functioning auto- 39: matically.

Critical spring bell crank lever 33 is fitted with a pair of arms, 35, 36, forked at the end, the forks serving to shift a sleeve, slidably feathered to shaft 5, which carries a mitre'gear transmitting 35':

power to the turntable. When arm 31 of bell crank 33 is pushed to the right (as regarded'in the view, Fig. 2) critical spring 33 comes into operation, when its critical vertical line is passed,

and carries arm 3l still further to the right, caus- 4o ing it to complete its functions power of spring 38.

In the form of operation in which the operator replaces records during operation, the critical l y virtue of the spring cranks areA normally positionedto the right, except the one controlling the power to the record turntable in rotation. This permitsthe other turntables to stand idle.' While turntable 3 is playing, crank 34 is manually' positioned to the left, the' position seen in 50 Fig. l2. Critical 'spring 39 is of some strength, as

one of its functions is to supply force to lift tone arm lever I2. The manual throwing to the left of crank 34 elevates arms 40-4I into a horizontal position. Mitre gear 42 is integral with sleeve 43 55 sldably feathered to shaft 5 and rotating with it. Sleeve 43 hasannular collar 44 by which sleeve 43 is elevated or lowered by forks of arms 40- 4I.

This causes the engagement and disengagement of mme gears liz- 45,15 being amxed to the ena 0 -of shaft 4B, journalled in frame-'pillar 3 and tating with it. Mitre gears lss-ss supply newer to set the turntable into rotation being aiilxed to shaft 43. Itis to be noted that the phonograph f records indicatedI start at the inner convolution and end at the outer convolutio the opposite oi.' those for home use. 4 l.

When crank 34 is turned tothe left, it is held in the left position by spring 33, because spring 5 35 has passed the critical vertical line'or overthrow line. The interlocking of mitre gears 42-45 sets turntable 3 in rotation. A record may then be placed on turntable 3, or it may be placed on It before rotation begins. As bevel gears 42 and 45 may be thrown into mesh at any angular attitude, the operator may follow the following .process to get the record vrotating at the same angularv attitude tothe shaft 5 as that which the playing record bears. `The initial point of the record may be marked by a white radial line to the periphery. 'If the two records are not rotating coincidentally one such mark will passahead of the other. The lower turntable having gained momentum, the voperator disengages gears 42-45 for a brief period until the `playing record and the new record come into unison by the gradual lagging of the latter,r when he snaps gears 42-45 into mesh, again.- This has to be done with nicety as a difference of about 8 degrees equals a single frame or individual picture on the film and two frames discrepancy Vwill destroy synchronism. A planetary adjustment may be provided within my invention for this purpose if necessary, to adjust Ithe angular attitudes of shafts 5 and 46.

While record 53 is rotating and being brought into angular unison with record 52 then being played, no counting is taking place for record 53.

Turntable 3 being in rotation with record 53 .ready to be played on, record 52 on turntable 2 is being counted, and Vpresently reaches count 1,000. Between counts the counting device members are stationary. When counter 6 moves from registration 999 to registration 000, projection stud 51 rotates 116 of a revolution. Stud 51 contacts with projection 58 of bell crank lever 59,

' pivoted in lug 60 aiiixed to frame 9, moving arm 59 towards frame 9. Bell crank lever 59 has arm 6I, contoured to escape interference with other '45 members. The end of arm 6I is in contact with angle leaf 62 of pivoted stop 20.

Pivoted stop 20.has arm-63 ailixed to shaft 64 working in lugs 65-66 and 61 and held ove'r heel I6 by spring 68, arm V6| turning leaf 62 in opposition to spring 68.

When stud 51 causes bell crank 59 to function and stop 20 to be knocked oi `heel I6, gravity causes lever l2 to descend and needle 69 thereupon contacts with record 53. As thisgoccurs l5 .pendant bar 21 of bar 24 of heel I6 strikes clutch lever 30, throwing counter 1 into action, which then begins to count rotations of turntable 3.

At the same time prong 10 of bar 24 of heel I6 moves upward and strikesthe bevelled left sur- 'rface (as regarded in Fig. 2) of arm 31 of bell crank 33. The weight and momentum of the descending arm I2 is 'sumcient tov carry arm 31 to the right past the critical line of spring 36, which spring then jerks 31 still further to -the -right till itis stopped by contact .with stop peg `7530i record 52, lifting arm 15 has been elevated,

since heel l5 has been standing higher than seen in Fig. 2, to enable arm II to permit the playing of record 52. Rod14 slides loosely in aperture 11 of arm 35, and has a stop protuberance or ball at either end, the distance betweenthe stop balls 5 beingsufciently greater than the distance between 35 and 16 when they are horizontal so that there is leeway for' 16 to be carried up by bar 23. When arm 35 descends it draws down arm 15,

y the foot 18 of which rests on bar 23 of heel I5.`10.V

This depresses bar 23 and lifts tone .arm lifting lever aloft to such a point that stop I9 snaps. back, driven by spring 22, and takes a. position above heel I5 to hold lever Il aloft, irrespective pendant bar 26 returns to its initial non-playing 20 f attitude, which allows the disengagement of counter 6 to take place automatically.

At this stage of the cycle, turntable 2 is idle,

counter 6 is idle, arm II is'lifted and idle, and

turntable 3 is playing and counter 1 is counting, 25

while crank arm 31 is positioned to the right against stop peg 1I. l This allows lifting arm 80 to be carried aloft by its foot 8I which rests on bar 24 of heel I6, since play of end balls of rod 82, which extends from arm 40 to lug 63 of lift-'30 l ing arm 66, is suflicient therefor.

" The operator may now replace record of turntable 2 and re-set counter 6 to agree with the new record. As shown in Fig. 2 turntable 4 is turning and lever I3l is aloft, held by stop 2| on heel I1. 35

When record 53 is finished stud 64 of counter 1 will strike projection 65 of'bell crank lever 86, pivoted in lug 61 on frame 9. Bell crank lever 66 has contour arm 88 which is in `contact with angle leaf 69 of pivoted stop 2|. Pivotedstop 2l has 40 v arm 90 ailixed to shaft 9i working in lugs 92, 93 and held over heel I1 by spring 94, arm 66 turning leaf 89 in opposition to spring 94.

When stud'64 causes-bell crank 66 to function and stop 2l to be kicked off heel I1, gravity causes 45 lever I3 to descend and needle 95 thus contacts with record 54 which begins to play. As this occurs, pendant bar 28 of bar 25 of heel I1 strikes clutch :lever -3I throwing counter 8 into action, which 'then begins to count rotations of turn- 50 table 4. 1

At the same timeprong 96 of bar 25 of heel '|1` moves upward and strikes the bevelled left surface (as regarded in Fig. 2) of arm 91 of bell r crank 34. 'I'he weight of the descending lever 55 arm I3 is suflicient to carry arm 91 to the right past the critical line of spring 39. This spring then jerks 91 still further 'to the right against stop- 98', which causes arms 40-4I to descend, 60 disengaging gears 42-,-'45 and cutting oil'v the power operating turntable 3, which then' comes to rest.

The descent of arm 40 also causes arm 60 to descend, lifting tone arm lever I 2 so that' record 53 lis heard no more, while bar 21 retracting to its initial non-playing position permits lever 30 to retract and disengage clutch from counter 1. v

The depression of heel I6 by arm 60 allows stop 20 to snap ba'ck under influence of spring. 68 70;

so that lever I2 will be held aloft irrespective of further retention by foot 6I of arm 80.

At this stage of the'cycle, turntable 3 is idle. counter 1 is idle, arm I2 is aloft and idle, turntable 4 is playing record 54 and counter 6 is 75:

counting, while crank 31 is against peg stop 98'.

Lifting arm 98 will be carried aloft by its foot positioned to the right 99 resting on bar 25 of heel |1.- This is allowed,

While turntable 4 is playing it may be assumed that all the other turntables are idle. Turntable 4 being the lowermost the next to be played j will be turntables I and 2, the` uppermost which play in unison as one unit.

Referring to turntable 2, which is reloaded with a fresh record, succeeding and contiguous in sound effect to record 54, it is to be assumed I5 that arm 31 of bell crank 33` is positioned to the right against stop 1I, held there by spring 38. Thismay then be manually thrown to 'the left position, (as regarded in Fig. 2) which has the effect of setting turntable 2 into rotation, while arm is still held aloft by stop I9 resting on heeLI5. f i At the lconclusion of the playing of the lower-A most record, 54, stud |04 of counter 8 will strike .projection |05 of bell crank lever |06 pivoted in lug |01 on frame 9. Bell crank lever |06 also has contour arm |08., the end of which is in contact with angle leaf |09 of pivot stop I9.-

Pivot stop I9 'has arm |I0 aillxed to shaft I II working in lugs I I2, II3, ||4, and held over heel .30I5 by spring 22, arm |08 turning leaf |09 in opposition to spring from the lowermost unit to the uppermost and functions at the top in a manner somewhat simlar to the way it would function were another turntable placed below turntable 4.

When stud |04 causes bell crank lever #|06 to function, and stop I9 Vto be kicked off heel I5, gravity causes lever IIlto descend and needle I I5 contacts with record 52. As this occurs pendant 49. bar-26 of bar 23 of heel I5 strikes clutch lever 29 throwing counter 6 into action, which begins' to count rotations'of turntable 2.

22. 'Shaft UI thus extends At the same time prong I|6- of bar 23 of heel" I5 moves upand strikes bevelledleft surface, (as iegrrega'rded mrtg. 2) of arm In of beu crank 32. The weight of the descending lever I I is sumcient to carry arm ||1 to theright of the critical line of 'spring ||8. The spring then jerks Ill/still further to the right, against peg stop I|9, which bell crank lever 32 has arm |20 and lever |2I |22y are connected byrodV |23, so that the action isthe same as if a critical spring were placed :5s-.ni connection with lever nl. l

Mitre gears |24-I25' transfer power from shaft 's wtumtable a and gear |24 is mound'integral with sleeve |26 which is slidably feathered to shaft 5 and hasvcollar |21, by means of which thus throwing gears |24-I25 into and out of engagement. y l.

The upward movement of rod |23 depresses arms |0||02 of lever |2|, which comes to rest i5 yagainst peg stop |28, whilearm ||1 comes to restv 75 arms II1 and 20 but is not connected to lever |29 which hasarms lan-lai. Level?129.11m-`v ever, is mounted concentrically with crank 32 on the same pillar axis, but has noworking relation to it by reason of that fact.

Mitre gears |32-|33 transmit power to rotate turntable I. Gear |32 is mounted on sleeve |34, slidably feathered to shaft 5, with annular collar |35, enabling it to be moved by forked ends ofarms I30-|3|. Lever |29 is connected to arm 35 of `bell crank 1o lever 33 by rod |36, sothat it moves in unison with and is controlled by crank 33 at all times.

v Thus when power is turned on or olf turntable 2,

it will also be turned on or off turntable I.

Stop I0 is connected to shaft III by bar |3115- and moves in unison with stop I9. Thus heel I4 of lever I0 is released at all times coincidentally with heel I5 of lever II. Lifting armL |38 rests on bar |39 of heel |4- and serves to lift lever I0 aloft when lever |I is 20- lifted aloft, through arm |36 being connected to lever 15 by rod |40. No'counting device is needed for turntable as counter 6 serves for both turntable I and turntable 2, turntable I being merely an adjunct of. turntable 2. .Other ad- 25I junct turntables may .be provided for turntable 2 if desired or for the other turntables.

It will be obviousthat any desired number of turntable units may be provided, one above the other, in this manner. With minor' modifications 30 two turntablesas 2 and 4 |might alone be used, or a dozen units may be provided between them. Thus enough records could be loaded before starting to last for an hour, and the precount numbers being set on the counters thev operator 35,- need give no attenton Whatever to it.

Frame pillar 9 is mounted vertically on foundation I'4`I. Rod 5v is journalled in ball bearing socket |42 and lug |43 attached to frame 9.

Shaft |44 rises from foundation |4| and supplies 40.

power. Foundation |4| may be a phonograph already in use, arrangedI to operate synchronously with a cinematograph, or shaft |44 may be supplied with power independently and the cinematograph connection made otherwise in any con- 45 venient manner.

Shaft |44 tnansmits power to shaft |45 vby mitre gears I46|41. Shaft |45 'is journalled in lugs |48.|49 and frame 9. y

Pillar |50 is mounted on foundation |4I and 59v carries tone arms I5I, |52, |53, |54 to playrecords l 5|, 52, 53, 54, such tone arms being supported by levers I0, II, I2-and I3 respectively.

The to'ne arms are providedA with needles |55, IIS, 69 and' 95 respectively and with sound boxes 55 |56, |51, |58,. |59, which are supported by pillar |50. The otherturntables are supported and operated by units and members ysimilar to those shown for turntable 3.

Lifting lever I2 has an adjuster |60 of'a ver- M nier character, enablingthe tone arm to be set very closely to the location'where the needle is to begin playing. After lever I2 descends,'tone arm |53 as it plays passes over` the inside collar v |6| of the vernier adjuster. After lever |2 lifts, the tone arm is replaced inthe Vernier adjustment saddle manually.- which may then' beset to Vcorrespond with the initial convolution. of the new record. The other lifting levers have similar vernier adjustments. Spiral convolutions ofthe sound groove areindicated at |62 and |63, the middle convolutions beingomitted in the drawings. The view of the, tone arms on the left side of Fig. 1 is ltaken in the line of arrow |64 of Fig. 3 wh ile the view of the turntable units 75 vand supports is taken the line of arrow |65 -oflig. 3.

[ Tone arm lifting lever I2 is integralwith spindle shaft |66'pivoted'in lugs |61, |68 on frame 9,and integral with heel I6. The descent of lever l2 thus deposits needle 69 on record 53,

'turns power o'turntable 2, lifts tone arm and criticar spring n is attached to' pinar no, xed in frame 9, and to pin |1| of arm 31. Critical spring 39 has similar pillar |12 and pin |13.'

||6 is similarly mounted.

Crank lever 59 is-tted with spring |14 which opposes the Aactionof stud 51. End 6| of crank 59' also works against -spring 68 through leaf 62 4which thus, at times, reinforces spring |14.

'Arm |36 is pivotedat |15'in lug |16/on frame .crank 33 on pillar |82 andcrank 34 on pillar |83 and crank |2| on .pillar |84. v

Stops in the form of pegs or small pillars are provided for the levers at various points where required, as at |65, |66, |61, |68, |89 and |99, but such peg stops are only illustrated in Fig. 2.

Counter spur gear' |9| is freeto rotate on shaft 46 but is not integral with mitre gear 45- concentrically mounted which'drives shaft 46. Gear |9| has clutch member |92 which engages with clutch member |93 slidably feathered to shaft 46, which is journalled in frame 9 and lug 48. Lever 39 which'has forks |94 is pivoted at |95 in lugs |96. -Pendant bar 21' descends and has 'Y horizontal member |91 and vertical pendant member |96, all integral, thus allowing |91 to pass below 66. Asniall leaf spring |99 vertically placed on and parallel to the outer face of member |96 contacts with lever 39. When 21 moves` Spring 26,6 normally holds |92|93` out of ensagement. Whe'nheel I6 is depressed and held by pivoted stop, the lower end of |96 is near the surface of frame 9, and |92-|93 are disengaged.

The other clutch members are similarly operated.

. "A form .of counting device suited to the apparatus is shown in' Figs. 7, 8 and 9. It is arranged to function at 000, that is, next after 999. It is also arranged-to be readily adjusted to the precount number of the record. 1

A series of three cylinder dials is provided, having numerals arranged on their outer peripheries. Cylinder dial 29| registers units, 292,) registers tens and 263 regi'sters hundreds. Cylinder 263 is mounted on a small diametered spindle 294,

which passesthrough an aperture in the larger hollow spindle 265of cylinder 292, and both pass through the still larger hollow spindle 296 of cylinder 26|, all the spindles thus being concentric. Spindle 266' is journalled in side 291 of framework 266 and rotates on spindle 295, kwhile 265 rotates on 264.A Thus 264 is journalled in 295 and inaperturel 269 of boss 2|9, on side 2|| of framework '266. `A spring 2|.2 presses 2 63 away of the counter.

from the boss, the end of the spring resting on a loose friction bearing plate' 2|3 which rests against 293. The end of spindle 294 may be moved inwardlyand outwardly in aperature 299 4 of boss 2|9, but as spindle 294 is integral with 5 cylinder 293 the cylinder similarly moves longitudinally.

Spindles 294, 295 and 296 are fitted with knurled thumb knobs 2|4, 2|5, 2|6 respectively. f When knob4 2|4 is pressed tothe yleft (as re- 10 garded in Fig. 7) cylinder 293 moves similarly.

Cylinder 292 may then be moved to the left by knob 2|5 and cylinder 29| by knob 2|6. If knob 2|6 is moved to the left rst it carries the other Y'cylindersand knobs tothe left, while if 2|5 is 15 moved to che left it carries cylinders 202 and 293 and knob 2|4 to the left. When manual pressureis released the cylinders and knobs areA returned to their normal positions at the right by spring 2 I2.

. Spur gear |9| drives spur gear 2|1 which is `mounted on pillar axis 2|8 set in frame 9. In Fig.

9 gear 42 is omitted. Intermediate spur gear 2|1 drives 'primary spur gear 2 I 9 of the counter, journalled on the shaft 229 in side 201 of frame 298 g5 and carrying integrally-united disc 222,rotating in hoodor well 22| at the rear of the main part Disc 222 carries driving stud 223.

At each rotation of shaft 5 disc 222 makes one rotation and turntable 3 makes one rota- 30 tion. Cylinder 20| is tted with counting gear 224, having ten notches for thev reception of driving stud 223. At each rotation of stud 223, cylinder 29| is driven forward one notch or num- -ber, that is 116 of one` rotation, the movement 35' being registered by numbers 0 to 9 inclusiveon cylinder 29|, which is viewed by the eye of the operator in the directionof arrow 225 of Fig. 9.

Cylinder 20| is also fitted with spur gear 226 which has a wide face. Spur gear 226-drives0 spur gear 221, which has4 a narrow face.and is mounted on spindle 229 journalled in lugs 23 9 23| of frame v298.` Spur gear 221 carries driv.- ing stud 232. Cylinder 202 is tted with counter gear 233 with 10 notches, for the reception, of 45 stud 232. Ten rotations of 222 will thus cause cylinder 292 to be advanced one notch or number.

, Cylinder 292 is fltted with spur gear 234, which has a wide face, and which drives spur gear 235, which has a narrow face, and is mounted on lo spindle 236, rotating in lug 23| and side 2H of frame 298. Spur gear 235 carries driving stud Cylinder .293 carries counter spur gear 238, having ten notches, for the reception of stud. 231. One complete rotationof cylinder l292 thusadvances cylinder 293 one notch or number. One hundred rotations of 222 are thus necessary to advance 293 one notch or number. 1 Cylinder 293 is fitted with stud 239 which carries projection 84, vso placed that when the numerals 999 show on the dials projection 64 will be at the top median line, just about to contact with projection 85 'of lever 86. The next turn example, he wiu ser the dials to read 384. 61.6 1s

added .to 384 will-bring the counter again to 000, the functioning point-for 84 and 85.

'I'he resetting is accomplished by manually .z garded in Fig. 7) which carries counter gears out of line of engagement with studs 223, 232 and 231, enabling the cylinders to be set in any edesired attitudes free of interference of studs with gears 224, 233 and 238. Owing to the wide 10 'faces of the spur gears 226, 234 they do not slidev out of engagement with spur gears 221, 235. Thus the driving studs remain in the proper angular locations with respect to their driving cylinders. Small grooves at 240 across the -face of the l5 cylinders are provided into which small rollers as 24| descend, under pressure of leaf springs as 242, as shown in Fig. 9 only. 'I'hese notches and rollers hold the cylinders in position between driving' impulses of the studs. Bottom 243 of frame 208 supports lugs 230,-23I, sides 201, 2| i,

front 244 and rear wall 245, which rests against frame 8, to which the counter is `attached by angle bar 246. Inner plate 241 of hood 22|` rests 4against frame 8.

25 Intermediate gear 2| 1 may be of any convenient diameter, and so located as to transmit power y it in making the records. Where a'fquicker and more direct action is desired, an electro-magnet with circuits and switches therefor may b e arranged, either to act as a supplement tothe mechanical action or to take its place. A form 40' of such means is indicated in Fig.v 2, which 'makes it clear without illustration in the other figures.

Electro-magnet 25| is mounted on standard 252 attached to frame 9. Armature 253 is affixed to arm 4| of bell crank 34, but is held aloft by spring 254, which is of considerably greater strength than critical spring 35.` Electric current is provided to energize the magnet from any suitable source. Two switches are providedl for 59 is at rest; and for some uses is in series with switch 255.

Considering rst the case in which the elec-` tro-magnet assists the mechanicalaction: when' .the counter 1 reaches 000, projection 84 actuates lever 86 and causes arm 88 to close switch 255,

energizing electro-magnet 255. It draws down arm 4i, which throws power oi turntable 3. This also causes rod B2-.through arm 80 to depress heel I6 and lift tone arm lever I2 which causes record 52 to be played ne more. AIt also permits clutch arm 30 to retract, cutting off the counting of counter 1. 'I'he counting clutch is thus v detached so quickly that 84 advances no further, and thus it holds arm 88 in the position in which 70. a circuit is maintained through switch 255. Si-

multaneously, supplementary-foot 251 fitted to arm 91 has -assisted arm 88 and leaf 89 in knocking foot stop 2| oif heel |1. This permits needle 85 to play record 53 and also causes arm 3i to throw clutch of counter 8 into action. Thus Ast/this interval is northe electro-magnet has assisted and even hastened theaction of the mechanical members. If now contact at switch 255 isfbroken and the electromagnet de-energized, spring 254 will overcome 39 and power will be turned on for shaft 46, but v5 without otherwise affecting the action. If, however, the'circuit is not broken at 255 andthe engagement and energization continue, unit 3 will remain idle.

Contact switch 256 is then Aarranged in series 10 with the electro-magnet, source of current and switch 255. Before the end of count on record 54, turntable 2 has been started by manual operation of crank 33. When arm |08 strikes leaf |05 at completion of count of record 54, heel l5 is re- 15 leased, which starts record 52 playing by the train of operations previously described and unit 4 becomes idle.

But as electro-magnet 25| remains energized foot 2| does not retract to be in position to hold 20 y heel I1 aloft, but |1 is held aloft by spring H8 acting through levers |20, |22 and rod |23. 'Ihe energized electro-.magnet is now holding tone arm |53 aloft although foot 20 is -in position to do so.

When count of record 52 is finished projection 25 51 moves crank 59 and breaks circuit at 256 and the electro-magnet is de-energized. This throws power on to turntable 3, allows 2| to block heel I1 and holds arm |3aloft. Arm 6| works leaf 62 which knocks stop 20 off heel I6 and allows rec- 30 ord 53 to be played; rod 82 being loose and having suiiicient play to vallow this since 40 is lifted. Counter 6 is thrown out of engagement, arm is lifted and clutch 30 then sets counter for turntable 3 into operation. It is assumed that this 35 counter, 1, was re-set manually in the interval without breaking contact at 255, to agree with the precount numberA of thenew record.

If it be desired to have the electro-magnet act in place of the mechanical elements, as an inde- 40 pendent member of the cycle, it is only necessary to remove leaf 89, and to adjust the prongs of switch 255 to hold lever 88 when it passes between them. Lever 88 may then be released manually after switch-256 breaks the circuit. 45

All the turntables may be fitted with magnets and switches and circuits if desired, in which case critical lever springs ||8, 38, 39 may be omitted together with leaves 62, 89 and |09 but feet similar to 251 need to be provided to knock stops vmi" 50 heels i5 and i5.

Switch 258 is provided for any convenient purpose, as stopping the apparatus or switching from one cinematograph to another at the conclusion of the lowermost record, assuming the 55 cinematograph llm used up. Switches such as 251, 258 may be utilized, also to cut off the electric circuit of electric tones arms at the conclusion of the playing of the record, and thus to silence the sound a slight interval in advance of 60 the lifting of the needles; in which case the automatic lifting of the tone arm may be omitted and it may be lifted manually, by the operator on each occasion when necessary.

By making gears Mii- |41 bevel gears of differA f entdiameters instead of mitre gears the speed of shaft 5 may be varied as compared with shaft |44 to any extent desired. A planetary system of gears may also be introduced at this point to provide for occasional variations of speed, should 'i6 synchronism be lost byfaccident or otherwise.

vOccasions arise when it is desirable to make cuts in .the motion picture necessitating removal of portions of the film and record. The record may be treated as follows' to effect such result. 'i5

l the width of a sound groove and somewhatdeeper than the depth of a sound groove at its initial point. It gradually narrows and becomes less deep leading up into the first convolution of the sound groove. At the outset the tone arm needle, as 69, is lowered into this depression. Should the elimination of the fore part of the record be desired, this depression may be cut through' at a tangent crossing as many sound convolutions as desired and leading'into the sound convolution at the point at which it is desired to have the sounds picked up.

In case the latter part of the .record is to be eliminated the counter may be set to pick up the tone arm where desired which will cause the subsequent groove not to be tracked, the needle being lifted out of the groove. In case a fractional part of the groove is to be eliminated, as the counter only enables the needle to be liftedat each revolution, a portion of the groove may have its sound indentations engraved olf. Y i

If the middle portion of the groove is to be eliminated a tangential depression may be cut across a number of convolutions. Depression 260 in belt of convolutions 163 is of this character. I

After the needle is running in the fourth groove of |63 the fourth groove is cut through and the cut extends across grooves 5 to I2, cutting into l2 but not across it. This skips all the sounds in the convolutions between `the fourth and the twelfth and inserts about /5 of a convolution Aof silence. If the middle of the groove only is to be played,

the fore part may be by-passed by a tangental groove, the middle part may be played and the c latter part avoided by lifting the tone arm -through the instrumentalitylof the counter.

The tangential by-pass may be made of material pasted on the surface of the record, with a needle groove leading up from the sound groove and the groove in the pasted-on material carrying the needle across the grooves to be eliminated and back down into thesound groove to be played.

4The pastedori material may be subsequently re` moved' restoring the record to its original condition. Local requirements of censorship may be met in this manner, without mutilating the record.

Another 'method of skipping they middle is to' use two copies of a record on adjoining turntables. The rst tonearm on reaching the Amiddle is lifted by the counter train; The tone. arm of the next turntable is deposited on the duplicate at a point past the middleas selected, being adjusted by the vernier or a tangental initial byfpass aS 259 cut in the' record past the middle,l or such a i bil-Dass pasted on. l

If a silent space is desired in a record without cutting the film, three turntables may be' used, the* middle one carrying no record but arranged for a shortcountngwith a blunt needle on a cir- 'cular groove'in Athe turntable, or else sound grooves may have their indentations engraved off, or a by-pass may be pasted on have the same number of convolutions as the underlying sound grooves and then leading back into the record.

What I claim is:

' 1. A- phonograph :comprising a plurality of turntables Apositioned concentrically .one above the other adapted to rotate in horizontal planes andI be driven from a commonvsource of power;

such a common source of power; each of such' turntables provided witha tone arm; each of such .turntables provided with a counting device adaptelectrical circuit having contacts adapted to be ed to be manually setto count a predetermined I number of counts and thereupon to operate; such means to perform a cycle of operations comprising f 5 the depositing of the tone arm and needle of the next record below on its record to begin its playing; the beginning of the counting of its rotations; the disconnection from the common source of power' of the turntable of the record priorly l0 played; the disengagement of its counter and thelifting of its tone arm from` its record; and means whereby the counter of the lowermost turntable, on the completion of a predetermined number of counts when its turn cornes, sets in mol5 tion a train of members adapted to effect a simi. lar cycle of movements in respect to the lowermost turntable and the uppermost turntable; and such train of members; whereby to effect the repetition-of such cycles of movement between the 20 various successive records one after the other in an indefinite succession, and means for manually re-setting such counters, inserting new records and turning power on such turntables one by one after the completion of, an individual cycle of 25 movements. l

2. In apparatus of the class descri having a plurality of turntables adapted eac to carry a phonographrecord, `and records therefor with automatic means adapted to cause the discon-- 30` tinuance of the playing of therecord of one turntable and coincidentally 'cause the beginning of the playing of the next turntable record, a turntable with a tone arm supplementary to one of the turntables in the train of turntables set forth, 35 such supplementary turntable and tone arm adapted to function in unison therewith, and automatic 'means adapted to elect such unitary operation.

3. In apparatus of the class described comprising 'a plurality of turntables with a train of members 40 to be energized upon the completion of the count vof a counter of the class described with which it is associated; such an association comprising a switch in the circuit adapted toY close such circuit and energize such magnet upon the completion of suchcount; said trains of members of the class described between adjoining turntables; a tone 5 arm lever foreach record turntable', a critical spring bell crank lever fitted witl'ra supplementary foot adapted to release the hel of the tone arm lever of the following recordturntable; such electro-magnet adapted to cause such bell vcrank lever to function upon suchL magnet being energized; whereby to effect the functioning of the train of members actuated from such bell crank lever action; and a supplementary contact switch in such separated and break such circuit and de-energize such magnet upon the completion of the count, of a counter of a record subsequent to the following record, and/or, electrical tonearms for such phonograph with switches adapted to be turned 7 and contacts thereby adapted to be broken on the completion of the counting of 4the turntable, wherebyto discontinue vibrations from such tone arms on completion of suchpredetermincd count- .D ing of'rotations. l f c 5 8 i A I 2,015,711; y

4. In a phonograph of the class described, cle-y respect to each other for limited times to limited tachable means adapted to attach such phonoextents comprising a planetary gear system intergraph to a phonograph to serve as a foundation, mediate such phonographs. with means adapted to cause the power of such 5. The matter of claim 4 and a cinematograplrv 5 foundation phonograph to operate such described adapted to be detachably attached to said founda- 6 phonographhereof. and/or supplementary means tion phonograph.

for changing the speed of such phonographs with EDWIN HOPKINS. 

